Requirements in Relation to Starting a Coffee Shop in Australia - Case Study Example

Introduction Starting up a business venture can be a hectic task. This is considering that proper plans are required that act as a firm foundation for the business. When starting up a business venture, all the regulatory issues have to be adhered to so as to avoid going against the nation’s rules and regulations. This requires adequate research to be carried out so that all requirements are met. Insurance measures also have to be put in place to guard against various risks that are associated with running a business. For a business to run smoothly, proper communication strategies have to be put in place. Trading hours have to be well planned to enable the business to reap maximum profits. This paper therefore looks at all these requirements in relation to starting a coffee shop in Australia. (James, 1991, p.112) Regulatory issues Research carried out in Australia shows that there are various legal requirements laid down by the government that business have to adhere to. These regulations are quite diverse for different types of businesses. One of the regulatory requirements for starting a coffee shop is to register the business name. This has to be carried out so that the name can be recognised as a trade mark. This is quite essential as it will help distinguish the coffee shop from the others in the nation, town etc. It is quite essential as it helps guard the business name in such a way that other people cannot use to for trading. After registration of coffee shop trade mark, it will be protected in all Australian territories and states. This will be done within a period of ten years. (James, 1991, p.115) It is quite essential to seek out for the Australian Business Number (ABN) which is quite essential when registering for GST. If the coffee shop business is expected to accrue annual sales of more than seventy five dollars, then it has to be registered with GST (goods and services tax). In case the business will have a sole trader, then a TFN, this is a tax file number that is personal can be used. In case the coffee shop business will be a partnership business then the stakeholders have to apply for the business tax file number. It is also very essential that stakeholders in the business visit the local council. (James, 1991, p.122) This is where they will get to know more about the issues of zoning. In case there will be need to put up a building for the coffee shop, then an application for building will have to be done. This has to be carried out before the actual building process begins. Safety and health in the workplace is also essential if the business is coffee shop business is to succeed. This is considering the fact that the business will have other employees such as cooks, chefs and waiters etc. For the coffee shop, a safety and health permit will have to be sought from the council. This will involve experts checking on the safety of the premises, machinery and equipment used. This will allow relevant authorities to check on the cleanliness of the premises considering that the business handling human food. Insurance In each and every business, there are risks that are involved. Insurance helps to take care of the risks that are involved in business. For the case of coffee shop business, the risks that are there include; the loss of property due to fire outbreak. There are risks of loss of property through theft. There are also chances that employees may have accidents while at work. All this risks need insurance so that the business owner will not incur a lot or loss in case they occur. It will be necessary for the business to get workers’ compensation insurance. This insurance enables a business to compensate workers who are injured while on duty. This is quite essential for a coffee shop business since there is bound to be cases of injuries as employees go about their daily tasks. For the coffee shop, it is estimated that three insurance coverages will be necessary. There is property insurance that deals with business and building contents. It covers any loss that is related to mechanical breakdown and damage of the coffee shop building that could prevent operation. General liability will help in protection for the liability against property and injury of the body. It covers injury of customers due to slipping and falling while in the premises. Also included in general liability is product liability for the coffee. The third one is the workers compensation that was has been clearly illustrated above. (James, 1991, p.112) Communications Communication is a very imperative tool in organisation. For any business organization to be successful, the manager has to use very effective communication strategies. This is in relation to every employee and customers in the organization. The business environment calls for a high level of effectiveness in the communication. When communication is correctly used in an organization, it acts as a motivator to employees. However when it is wrongly used it will always demoralise the workers. Of course this demoralisation affects their effectiveness at work hence leading to losses in the organization. The external communication used in corporate communication involves the activities through which the firm aims at informing and influencing people outside the firm. Under this advocacy is the major area in public communication whereby, it is a process where one tries to influence external stakeholders such as customers. It includes a range of activities such as marketing the business venture and simple day to day interaction with customers. (James, 1991, p.120) In this business, various communication strategies will be put in place. This includes bottom up and top down strategies. Various communication mechanisms will be used in the coffee shop. First of all, face to face communication will be encouraged between employees and the management. This is because face to face communication allows stakeholders to ask for clarification on areas that they did not understand. In cases where face to face communication cannot be used, then telephones will come in handy. The reception area will have a telephone where employees can easily communicate to the management. The finance department will also have a telephone where communications can be made to the management. The manager’s number will be available to every employee in the coffee shop such that they can easily access him where there is need. This includes both the manager’s office and mobile phone numbers will be available to every employee in the coffee shop. The manager’s office, reception and finance department will have computers with internet. Emails will also be used as a means of communication between employees and between employees and the management. Different communication skills will be used to motivate staffs and also enhance customer retention. Humour will highly be utilised in communication in the coffee shop. (James, 1991, p.112) So who said that managers cannot communicate humorously? Humour helps to put employees at ease. Research shows that when employers are humorous the employees find it easier to communicate issues that are affecting them quite easily. This will help create a good atmosphere where employees remain motivated. This will also help customers feel good and appreciated. Courteous speech will be encouraged between employees and towards customers. This will also be implemented by the manager when addressing employees. This will enhance good relations in the business which is quite integral to success. Courteous speech towards employees and customers makes them to feel valued. Another communication skill that will be used is listening. The management team will use listening skill when interacting with employees. This will enable employees to feel appreciated and open up on areas that they feel should be improved. Employees will also be encouraged to listen to customers even when customers seem harsh or inconsiderate. This will help to win customers over to the coffee shop and act as a competitive advantage to the business. This skill will also be encouraged among employees so as to enhance unity that is quite essential if success in the business is to be achieved. (James, 1991, p.130) Trading hours Trading hours are very essential to the success of any business. Trading hours have to be strategically planned at the time when the target customers are available. For the coffee shop business, the following trading hours will be incorporated. Trading hours Monday 7:30 – 5:30 Tuesday 7:30 – 5:30 Wednesday 7:30 – 5:30 Thursday 7:30 – 5:30 Friday 7:30 – 5:30 Saturday 9:00 – 5:00 Sunday Close Table 1 Table 1 above shows the trading hours that will be used for the coffee shop. From Mondays to Fridays the coffee shop will be open starting seven thirty in the morning to five thirty. This is the time that it is expected that target customers will be available. The shop will be closed at five thirty to allow cleaning and preparations for the next day. On Saturdays the shop will be open from nine to five in the evening. This is considering the fact that most Saturdays target customers tend to be up a bit late. It will be closed at five to facilitate cleaning and to allow employees time to rest off work. On Sundays the coffee shop will remain closed since most people go to church or just relax in their homes. The opening hours will help offer services and products to majority of the target customers. (James, 1991, p.110) Conclusion In conclusion, starting up a business is not an easy task. This is because of many plans that are required to be laid out. In starting a coffee shop business in Australia, various regulations have to be adhered to. They include registration of the business name, seeking for Australian Business Number and also registration of GST. In each business, there are always risks that are involved. These risks have to be insured to avoid unexpected loss to the business. For the coffee shop, three insurance coverages will be necessary. They include property insurance, general liability and worker’s compensation. Communication is also very essential in any business. For coffee shop, face to face communication, telephones and emails will be used. Communication skills such as listening, humour and courteous speech will be used. The working hours will be 7.30a.m -5.30p.m Monday to Friday. Saturday 9.00a.m to 5.00p.m and Sundays the shop will remain closed. This will enable the business to fully serve its target customers. Read More